Railroad signaling system



' June 18, 1929. J, BEDNARSKI 1,718,023

' RAILROAD SIGNALING SYSTEM Fiied Dec. 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor.

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J 18, 1929- .1; J. BEDNARSKI 1,718,023

RAILROAD SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 50, 1927 v Inventor Jakob Z Bednqrshi Patented June 18, 1929.

JACOB J. BEDNARSKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD SIGNALING SYSTEM.

' Application filed December 30, 1927. Serial No. 243,510.

My invention relates to railroad signaling:

systems and has for its object the provision of a device of the kind described adapted to give notice and warning of the approach of a locomotive or train from a distance.

Another object of my invention is to provide a railroad signaling device of simple and inexpensive construction with ease and sureness of operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a railroad signaling device that may be quickly applied to any railroad track without interfering with any system, electrical or mechanical, employed for similar or other purposes. 1

A still further object is to provide a rail road signaling device which may, at the direction of the engineer, or automatically,

give notice of the approach of a locomotive or train.

Other objects and advantages will. appear more fully in the hereinafter specification when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in-which: v

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy device as applied to a locomotive and to a railroad- Figure 2 1s an enlarged detail V1GW, partly in section, of the locomotive cab showing the J quadrant lever control and a source of electrical energy for my device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, parts being broken away, of the means employed for engaging the signaling circuit. I

- Figure 4 is an enlarged end'elevation of the means shown in Figure 3, parts being broken away.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a section of railroad track equipped with my system, the signaling means being represented diagrammatically.

Figure 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, with parts broken away, illustrating my device in operative position on a railroad track. I

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, with certain'parts broken away, illustrating the circuit completing means.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of a circuit completing and circuit breaking member.

With more particular reference to the drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred form of my invention, A designates a locomotive of conventional design, on the rearward portion of which I secure by rivets or bolts 11 the current making and breaking element B, to be'more fully described hereinafter. The element B completes a circuit from a source of electrical energy 12 through wires 40, 40 to signaling means, which may be of the visual type 15 or shown). 7

I The element B comprises the bracket 16, which includes the diverging Wings 17, having the integral annular sockets 18, 19, which slidingly receive the plunger 20, on the upper end of which is anelongatedyoke 21, having a slot 21" formed on the end of the plunger, which latter is suitably secured to the metal plate 22 A resilient shock absorbing connection between the bracket 16 and the plunger assembly is obtained by means of a coil spring 23. Formed inteing arms 24, 25, 26, having sockets 24, 25, 26','which receive the axles 27, 28, on which revolve solid metal contact wheels 29, 30, having V-shaped grooves 31, 32, which accommodate the Wires 13, 14, when my device is in operative condition. The sockets 25 and 26 are provided with bushings 33, 34, which serve to prevent a short circuitthrough the metal bracket itself. a i On the periphery of the metal hub of the wheel 29, a plurality of recesses or keyways 29 are formed, into whicha suitable dielectric is placed for the purpose of voluntarily making and breaking the circuit as the hub containing the insulated segments revolves in contact with the metal or carbon brush 35, the latter being adjustably mounted in the slotted head 36 of the bolt 37 by means of a set screw 38. The bolt'37, also mounted in an insulator bushing 39 in the arm 25 is secured by a nut 37. A wire- 40 is connected to the bolt 37 passing thence to the binding post 41, which is secured by a. nut 42, the post 41 being mounted in an insulating bushing 43, and an upper plate 45', which is formed of dielectric.

The description set forth in connection with the contact wheel 29 is applicable to the sound type (not grally with the metal plate 22 are dependcontact wheel 30, from the hub of which latter, however, the insulated segments have been omitted.

An operative connect-ion of the element B to the locomotive cab is effected by the rod 46, one end of which has a pin 17 slidingly secured in the slot 21 of the elongated lug 20 above referred to, the other end of the rod 16 being pivotally attached-to a bell crank lever 48, suitably mounted on a bracket 49 and having also a pivotal connection to a rod 50, swingingly attached to a quadrant lever control 51, operated by the locomotive engineer.

In Figure 6 I show suflicient parts of my device in association with a cooperating locomotive or train to indicate the function and mode of operation thereof. In this figure, 52 are the wheels of a locomotive on the railroad tracks 53, which latter are secured in the customary manner to ties 54. At intervals of seven or more ties apart, I secure blocks 55 thereto, which serve as a mount for brackets 56 which support wires 13 and let leading to any desired form of signaling means, such as the incandescent bulbs 15, w7hich are suitably displayed on the stands 5 The mode of operation of my device has been in a measure indicated from the foregoing specification and will be more fully apparent from the following brief description, reference being again had to the drawings:

lVhen approaching a crossing or a town, after traversing unsettled portions of the country, it has been found desirable to give some warning indication of the approach of a train or locomotive. This warning signal I now give by means of my device with the utmost simplicity of apparatus and at a practically nominal cost. The engineer may optionally set the quadrant lever control in fixed operative position in which two wheels or shoes 29, 3O automatically engage the wires 13, 14, which are generally stretched one-fourth to one-half a mile in advance of a crossing, continuing thence to the town or crossing itself. From the source of electrical energy, which may be a generator 12 operated in the usual manner by a belt connected to a pulley on one of the axles of the locomotive or from current generated in the railway cars (not shown) attached to the locomotive, a circuit will be completed through wire 40 to binding post 41, through bolt 37 to brush 35, to metal hub 29 of wheel 29, through wheel 29 to wire 13, thence to lamp 15, through wire 14 to metal hub of wheel 30, to brush 35, bar 36 to conductor 40, returning to the generator.

It will be understood from an inspection of Figure 4 that the current will be made and broken as the insulated segments 80 pass under and in contact with the brush 35, thus producing a series of rapid flashes in the signaling means, which provide the best method of attracting attention.

The device herein described and illustrated, it will be observed, may be actuated with the comparatively simple apparatus set forth and described, it being apparent that sections of railroad tracks can be equipped with a pair of wires mounted on the blocks with small expenditure of energy and money. My system is independent of any mechanical or electrical device that may be already in operation upon a railroad, it being noted that in most cases heretofore it has been necessary to go to the trouble of welding one complete line of rails together in order to form a continuous electric circuit, requiring a considerable outlay of money, expen sive apparatus and the employment of many workmen. My system can be quickly attached to railroad tics by merely nailing the blocks 55, which I provide with the brackets 56, the wires being secured on the latter.

lVhile I have herein described and illustrated my invention with some degree of particularity, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which my device appertains that changes and variations may be made therein; hence I do not desire to confine myself literally to the precise details as set forth but wish to take advantage of such embodiments and modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a locomotive and train traveling over a railroad track, in combination, a circuit making and breaking device optionally engageable and disengageable with wires contiguous to 'and remote from said railroad track, said circuit making and breaking device comprising a plurality. of revolving contact members, one of said contact members having means to periodically make and break the circuit when said locomotive is in motion.

2. In a locomotive and'train of cars traveling over a railroad track, electrical actuating means connected to a current making and breaking device under the control of the engineer of said locomotive, said current making and breaking device being engageable with and disengageable from wires leading to signaling elements, whereby when said current making and breaking device is placed in contact with said wires, said signaling elements may be intermittently operated in a manner to give a series of pulsating warning signals indicating the approach of said locomotive and train.

3. In a mechanism of the kind described, a current making and breaking device comprising a yoke resiliently mounted on a bracket attached to a locomotive, said yoke having sonkets formed in arms depending therefrom whereby a plurality of dissimilar contact members are revolvingly secured, one of said contact members being insulated from the other, and having insulated segments on the hub thereof, a plurality of brushes within said yoke connected to a source of electrical energy in said locomotive, said brushes being connected with said contact members, whereby a series of pulsating warning signals may be given by said 10 locomotive and train.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JACOB J. BEDNARSKI. 

